Attachment for artificial teeth



Sept. 20, 1938. -u 2,130,656

ATTACHMENT FOR ARTIFICIAL TEETH Filed April 16, 1937 INVENTOR.

A TTORNEY,

Patented Sept. 20, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application April 16, 1937, Serial No. 137,356 In Japan May 26, 1936 2 Claims.

This invention relates to attachments for artificial teeth fixed in a vulcanite-bed in a kind of bridge work, and has for its object to provide means for retaining the artificial teeth in position in the mouth. The device is simple in construction, low in cost, easy in application and reliable in function, by which sound teeth used as piers need not be artificially crowned and are not influenced by the forces set up in chewing with the artificial teeth.

Other features and objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon a consideration of the following description and the accompanying drawing wherein several exemplary embodiments of the invention are disclosed.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an attachment according to the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the attachment, illustrating the same applied to a pier tooth.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the attachment embedded in a vulcanite-bed of artificial teeth, illustrating the position of the parts at the time When it is to be applied to its place in the mouth.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the attachment as shown in Fig. 3, illustrating the position of the parts when it is applied to its place in the mouth.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 illustrating a modification of the attachment.

Referring to the drawing, I represents a clasp intended to be placed on the cheek side of a pier tooth. The clasp is connected with a lever 2 by 3 .means of a cross member 3 which is provided with a lug 4 adapted to engage against an undercut of the crown of the pier tooth. The cross member 3 carries an anchoring member 5 movably mounted thereon and adapted to be embedded in the vulcanite-bed of the artificial teeth. The anchoring member 5 is formed with a tongue 6 having an incline formed by bending the lateral portion of said anchoring member on the side adjacent the lever 2, which co-operates with 45 the lever 2, when the artificial teeth are put in position in the mouth, to cause the clasp I to be pressed against the cheek side face of the tooth used as a pier, tending to thrust the lever 2 toward the tongue side.

50 1 represents a sliding sleeve mounted on a holder 8 with toes 9 which are adapted to be embedded in the vulcanite-bed of artificial teeth. The sleeve 1 is thus held in such a position as to be moved over the free end of the lever 2 when 55 the artificial teeth are arranged in position in the mouth. The sleeve 1 is formed with a clip III at one end for engaging the free end of the lever 2. The sleeve 1 is also preferably formed with a knob H which is adapted to be engaged by the tip of a finger or a suitable tool so as to move the sleeve on the holder 8.

When arranging the artificial teeth in the mouth, the lever 2 is positioned substantially vertically as shown in Fig. 3, and consequently the clasp I and the lug 4 are in an approximate vertical position. When the artificial teeth set is put in position in the mouth, the lever 2 is turned until it lies along the holder 8 and then the sleeve l is moved on the holder over the free end of the lever 2. In this position of the lever 2, the clasp l is in firm engagement with the cheek side face of the pier tooth, and the lug 4 is in engagement against the undercut of the crown of the pier tooth, whereby the artificial teeth set is secured in position in the mouth.

If desired, the clasp I may be replaced, a clasp la embedded in the vulcanite-bed of the artificial teeth and in this case, the tongue 6 may be omitted, as shown in Fig. 5 since the function thereof is not necessary in this modification.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in What manner the same is to be performed, I claim:

1. An attachment device for artificial teeth comprising, a clasp for gripping a pier tooth, a lever connected with the clasp by means of a cross member, a lug carried by the cross member adapted to engage an under-cut of the crown of the pier tooth, a vulcanite-bed having artificial teeth set therein, an anchor member fixed to the vulcanite-bed rotatably supporting the crossmember, an inclined tongue, said lever engaging the tongue on movement thereof to cause the clasp to be urged against the pier tooth, a holder fixed to the vulcanite-bed and a sleeve slidably mounted on the holder adapted. to be moved over the free end of the lever for securing the lever in a position along the holder.

2. An attachment device for artificial teeth comprising, a vulcanite-bed having the artificial teeth set therein, a clasp supported by the vulcanite-bed for gripping the pier tooth, a crossmember having a lug adapted to engage an under-cut of the crown of the pier tooth, means for rotatably supporting said cross-member on the vulcanite-bed, a lever fixed to said crossmember, a holder having the ends thereof embedded in the vulcanite-bed, and a sleeve slidably mounted on the holder adapted to be moved over the free end of the lever for securing the lever in a position along the holder.

J UNZO TAGUCHI. 

